The invention relates to centrifugal processing systems and apparatus.
Today blood collection organizations routinely separate whole blood by centrifugation into its various therapeutic components, such as red blood cells, platelets, and plasma.
Conventional blood processing systems and methods use durable centrifuge equipment in association with single use, sterile processing chambers, typically made of plastic. The centrifuge equipment introduces whole blood into these chambers while rotating them to create a centrifugal field.
Whole blood separates within the rotating chamber under the influence of the centrifugal field into higher density red blood cells and platelet-rich plasma. An intermediate layer of white blood cells and lymphocytes forms an interface between the red blood cells and platelet-rich plasma.
Conventional blood processing methods use durable centrifuge equipment in association with single use, sterile processing systems, typically made of plastic. The operator loads the disposable systems upon the centrifuge before processing and removes them afterwards.
Conventional centrifuges often do not permit easy access to the areas where the disposable systems reside during use. As a result, loading and unloading operations can be time consuming and tedious.
Disposable systems are often preformed into desired shapes to simplify the loading and unloading process. However, this approach is often counterproductive, as it increases the cost of the disposables.
The invention provides improved blood processing systems and methods that create unique dynamic flow conditions within a compact, easily handled processing chamber.
One aspect of the invention provides a chamber for use in a rotating field to separate blood components. The chamber includes a separation channel having a low-G side wall radially spaced from the rotational axis, a high-G side wall radially spaced from the rotational axis farther than the low-G side wall, and end walls that are spaced apart circumferentially about the rotation axis. An inlet port near the first end wall introduces blood into the channel for flow circumferentially about the rotational axis from the first end wall toward the second end wall for separation into at least one blood components.
In this aspect of the invention, at least one outlet port is juxtaposed next to the inlet port near the first end wall for conveying one separated blood component from the channel. In this way, the fluid flow tubing associated with the chamber is located within a single compact region of the chamber. This simplifies handling of the chamber, particularly when loading and unloading the chamber in a processing centrifuge.
The compact chamber that embodies the features of the invention directs one separated blood component to a collection region near the second end wall. An enclosed interior collection passage within the channel that leads from the collection region and directs the one collected component to the outlet port for transport from the chamber.
In a preferred embodiment, the chamber includes a barrier surface near the second end wall for creating a restricted inlet between the collection region and the collection passage.
Another aspect of the invention provides a chamber defining a separation zone that is divided into contiguous first and second separation channels.
In the arrangement, each channel includes an inlet port near its associated first end wall for introducing blood into the channel for flow circumferentially about the rotational axis from the first end wall toward the second end wall for separation. Each channel also includes at least one outlet port juxtaposed its associated inlet port for conveying a separated blood constituent from the associated channel.
Thus, according to the invention, the inlet and outlet ports of the two separation channels are mutually juxtaposed in a compact region on the chamber.
The invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The scope of the invention is defined in the appended claims, rather than in the specific description preceding them. All embodiments that fall within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced by the claims.